MOORE, Okla. – Although the FBI has confirmed the Vaughn Foods attack is not linked to terrorism, a group of Oklahoma lawmakers disagree.
Oklahoma’s own Counter Terrorism Caucus is calling Alton Nolen a lone wolf terrorist.
They say there could be more like-minded, violent people right here in Oklahoma.
Representative Lewis Moore says, “Of the 18,000 FBI agents there are in the world, surely some of them can see this as the act of terror it is.”
The Counter Terrorism Caucus includes eight lawmakers and Representative Lewis Moore is one of them.
“I don’t know if it’s to keep people from panicking, from perhaps exercising some sort of retribution upon mosques,” says Representative Moore.
For them, the attack has brought up a deeper issue.
“While it has our attention, just look at the Muslim culture within our culture. We want people who want to assimilate into our culture,” says Moore. “If they don’t want to, then there are 57 other Muslim states. They’re under populated. They can move there.”
Moore says the Muslim Sharia law is the problem.
So we asked a leader in Oklahoma’s Muslim community to explain what Sharia law means to them.
CAIR-OK Chairman Saad Mohammed says, “They are peaceful laws to show us how to follow the laws of society and how to worship God and to live a clean, peaceful, embracing life.”
Saad Mohammed goes on to say Islam was not Alton Nolen’s motivation. He says Nolen had mental problems and a history of violence.
“The person committed this act, not Islam,” says Mohammed.
While Moore agrees Nolen was a lone wolf, he still insists he is a terrorist and should be charged as one.
But Oklahoma’s definition of terrorism may be too broad. It is now lawmakers job to tighten up the language to make sure every act of terror is recognized for what it is.
CAIR-OK hopes the Counter Terrorism Caucus would be open to sitting down with them to clear the air about Sharia law.
MORE: Click here for more on the fatal attack